Thailand student protest rally goes into night

Thousands of people gared in Bangkok on Saturday for most ambitious rally so far in a pro-democracy campaign that has shaken up government and Thailand's conservative establishment.

demonstrators packed into a field near Grand Palace and igred a Thursday night plea from Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha to cancel event, which he said risked spreing coronavirus and derailing recovery of Thailand's battered ecomy.

core demands of protesters, which were first declared in July, were dissolution of parliament with fresh elections, a new constitution and an end to intimidation of political activists.

y believe that Prayuth, who as n-army commander led a 2014 coup toppling an elected government, was returned to power unfairly in last year's general election because laws h been changed to favor a pro-military party.

Organisers h predicted that as many as 50,000 protesters will march over two days in an area of capital historically associated with political protests.

At least 8,000 police reportedly were deployed for weekend protest.